


By Virtue, By Integrity - In All Things: Honor

by ZylphiaCrowley



Category: Suikoden, Suikoden II
Genre: Canon Compliant, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-29
Updated: 2015-04-29
Packaged: 2018-03-26 07:32:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3842401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZylphiaCrowley/pseuds/ZylphiaCrowley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The sharp clash of steel heralds a new beginning.</p>
<p>Equal parts nervous and excited, Miklotov faces down a young Grasslander as his final opponent on the road to becoming a Knight of Matilda.</p>
<p>The first part in a multi-chapter canon compliant piece detailing the relationship between Camus and Miklotov of Suikoden II. Also, my first real foray into writing for fanfiction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	By Virtue, By Integrity - In All Things: Honor

Two men only slightly older than myself, with stern faces and deep brows ushered me to the training grounds outside of Rockaxe castle. This was where I was to complete my final duel against the last remaining trainee in hopes of being accepted into the ranks of the prestigious Matilda Knights. It was the final test. The last obstacle standing in my way to becoming a full-fledged Matilda Knight. I had bested so many others already; to lose now would be devastating. They led me to the entrance of the training field. Tall stone pillars stood stalwart on either side of the threshold carved with the familiar sword and feather heraldry of the proud Knights of Matilda. Even the day itself had seemed ready for the duel. The sun had not yet reached the midday mark and lay tucked away just behind a cloud providing prime visibility. A light, cool breeze carrying the scent of leather and steel blew about the grounds, just enough to catch the banners that draped over the upper balcony railings causing them to flap softly against the stone railings.

An audience of civilians surrounded the arena. Their murmuring could be heard like bees buzzing in a hive as they made their empty bets on who would win the duel. Everyone had their favorites. I tried not to pay attention to the gossip that spread through the people of Rockaxe like such hearsay is prone to do. The duels were always a huge event for The Matilda Knights, drawing massive crowds consisting of almost every citizen of Rockaxe as well as the surrounding villages. The thunderous call of a horn reverberated through the air. The crowd immediately fell silent. I turned to face the source. Lord Gorudo, Commander of the White Knights, and leader of the Knightdom of Matilda sat in a large throne in the middle of the balcony, squat features and beady eyes presiding over the event. Seated slightly behind him to his right, obscured by shadow, was Lord Dreux, Captain of the Red Knights. To the left, Lord Restault, Captain of the Blue Knights. A broad shouldered White Knight stood immediately to the right of Gorudo, a bugle resting at his feet, he unrolled a scroll of parchment in front of him.

"Lord Miklotov of Rockaxe" The White Knight said. His tinny voice carrying clearly throughout the arena for all to hear. He made a grand sweeping hand gesture in my direction. "And Lord Camus of The Free Knights of Camaro." He mirrored his previous gesture towards the other side of the field. "On behalf of The Knightdom of Matilda, we thank you for showing such skillful swordsmanship throughout the examination duels. As you are aware, this match will decide who will go on, receiving the opportunity to become a full fledged Knight of Matilda, in service to our Lord Commander Gorudo, leader of The Matilda Knights. Please approach the center of the field and address your challenger now."

My opponent stood across the field from me. A gloved hand resting casually on the pommel of his sheathed sword. I noticed his hair first. It was a blaze of bright orange blowing calmly in the light breeze. His features were soft and calm. We each approached the center of the field, his gait was graceful as a dancers, and we shook hands. He had a firm confident grip. Standing so close, I could smell the heavy scent of earth and fire on him, as if he had spent most of his life outdoors. His eyes were alight with wild youthful pride. He was sizing me up, analyzing my own prowess with a blade, I'm certain. Weighing my skill up against his own. I wondered what he would find. I had spent years of my childhood playing at sword fighting, training for the day I could become a Knight, as many of the local boys had. By the time I had reached my teens I had bested most of my peers, but now facing down this man, my nerves lit up like I hadn't felt in years. 

"You represent the best of the trainee squadron. Fight with honor and with principle." The White Knight directed us both to return to our respective sides of the field once more.

Retaking my starting place, I unsheathed my sword, trying my best to steady my shaking hand. I held it in both hands pointed to the sky in front of me and bowed my head. Across the field Lord Camus slid his blade from it's scabbard in a beautiful arching motion and let it rest calmly at his side. He placed his hand on his chest and dipped forward in an informal bow. I moved to my fighting stance. He did the same, assuming a far more relaxed position. I steadied my wavering breath, waiting for the horn to blow, signaling the start of the match. I didn't have to wait long. The sharp trill of the bugle rang throughout the entire arena. I dug the heel of my boot into the stone floor and kicked off towards my opponent.

He was fast, already reaching my position before I had even hit the center of the field. He swept his blade towards my left side. I swung my own, knocking back the blow. The first ring of steel roused the crowd. An excited cheer poured throughout the onlookers into the stadium. I caught a glimpse of Lord Camus' face, a wide smile spread across it like a playful young pup. The excitement seemed to radiate off him. The anxiety that had shaken my movements seconds before turned to exhilaration as I scanned for an opening. _There!_ I thrust my blade forward, only to have it cast off to the side with a single fluid motion. I felt myself falter. He could have easily taken advantage of my misstep and ended the exam at that precise moment, but he didn't. He seemed to be enjoying himself far too much. He wanted to draw this out, whether out of sheer pride or genuine pleasure I had yet to decide. I took the opportunity and regained my footing, wasting no time in striking again. He shrugged it off once again, countering with another swing. I foolishly went to block with the guard. Thinking quickly I repositioned my hands just enough that the blade wouldn't catch my fingers. They were blunted training sword of course, but the force behind a powerful enough swing still had the potential to crush a man's fingers. It came down grazing my knuckles. I tried to convince myself that the pain wasn't too bad, fighting the stinging sensation until I managed to persuade myself that I could no longer feel it. We moved across the field like an expertly choreographed dance. I even managed to graze his ribs at one point, causing him to spin around, landing hard on his right knee. I thought that would be it for him, but he bounced back up to standing like it never even happened. 

The fight went on with us exchanging strikes and blows. Both of us narrowly escaping match ending hits time after time. As the fight wore on I became more and more aware of the hollow rattling of my breathing. I found my limbs growing heavier with each motion. We were both moving just a bit slower, breathing a little bit heavier than at first, giving me time to reexamine my opponent between thrusts. I was glad to see his seemingly boundless reserve of energy had been diminishing at the same pace as my own. His bright hair, spattered with dark patches of mud, stuck to his face in strands framing it in such a way that sharpened his elegant features. His chest heaved with every breath, and his eager smile had changed to an exhausted smirk. He drew his blade up towards the sky, intending to end the match right then, but I couldn't let that happen. I had worked too hard to get this far. I summoned every bit of energy I had left and raised my blade high above my head, blocking just in time to stop the blow with only centimeters to spare. A harsh clash echoed throughout the arena. The call of the bugle trumpeted throughout the stadium once again to signal the end of the match. The sound jerked me back to reality, like being woken from a dream, recalling my attention back to the fact that an entire audience was watching the match. I stood confused, regaining my surroundings. I looked towards Lord Camus. Our eyes met. He seemed to share my feelings of consternation. We lowered our blades to our sides and turned to face Lord Gorudo and the Captains on the balcony.

“Lords Miklotov and Camus!” The White Knight addressed us. “The sun will be setting shortly. As such, we have seen fit to call the duel. We would ask that you gather your swords and take your leave.” A chorus of hushed whispers swelled about the audience. No one was sure what to make of the call. I looked around to see that he was right. We had been so engrossed in the duel that I hadn't even noticed that we had fought through most of the daylight hours. We both bowed and exited the arena.

No sooner had I rounded the corner when a young man whom I recognized as one of Lord Gorudo's Page boys sped up to meet me.

“Lord Miklotov, Lord Gorudo requests an audience with both you and your opponent in an hour's time. Please take that time to refresh and meet with him and Captains Dreux and Restault in the Commander's Hall.”

“Thank you.” He bowed out taking his leave just as fast as he had found me. I stood turning over the information in my mind. I had never heard of Lord Gorudo calling for a personal audience with trainees before. Then again, most everything after the duels was kept secret behind the walls of the castle, so I suppose it was a possibility that this was as normal an occurrence as the matches themselves. I thought on it, and made my way towards the showers to wash away the dirt and blood that caked my uniform from the duel.

I stopped by the trainee's hall to gather a fresh uniform for myself before heading to wash up. I made my way to the showers and peeled off the blood and mud soaked uniform I was wearing as well as my small clothes and folded them as neatly as I could and set them on top of the other dirty laundry, placing my clean set to the side. I heard the echo of running water around the corner. As I entered the showers I saw him, my dueling opponent. That bright fiery hair clinging to his face in thin wet strands. Bruises from the duel bloomed on his knees and ribs in dark purple. He looked up when he heard me enter and flashed a smiled, a brilliant light in his eyes.

“Lord Miklotov, if I am correct?” His voice was bright and cheerful. My name, which had a habit of stumbling awkwardly off anyone's tongue but my mother's, sounded comfortable the way he said it. He shifted as he spoke and I caught my eyes wandering a bit. He was leaner than I was with tanned skin. He was slim, but his muscles were well toned. I wasn't so surprised that he was much quicker than I had been on the field.

“Uh, yes. And you are Lord Camus, from Camaro?” He chuckled.

“Yes, it's a village in the Grasslands. Free Knights mostly.” He nodded, running a hand through his hair, mud dripping down his neck and chest. That made sense. Most Grasslanders had a natural affinity for speed. “Nice to officially meet you. The solemnity surrounding the formal introductions of the duels always seemed so restricting to me.” His speech was far more polite than I would have expected from a Grasslander.

“It's tradition. The Knightdom has done it that way for as long as it's history has been recorded.” I turned on my own shower, and lathered up the soap I had gotten from one of the small stools that were placed throughout the showers.

“Well, despite my Grassland upbringing I understand that formalities are important to ceremony, of course.” It would've sounded defensive coming from anyone else, but he spoke casually, as if more amused than anything else. I noticed his eyes looking me over just as I had done to him. His expression dropped. “Sorry about that by the way.” He nodded toward my knuckles which were now turning a sickening shade of yellow and purple. “I was a bit faster than I had intended on that swing. I hope it doesn't hurt too bad.”

“I hadn't noticed it yet.” That got a good warm laugh out of him.

“Well, when you do in the morning, you can come find me and exact whichever revenge you deem fitting for the degree of pain it ends up causing you.”

“I don't think I'll need to.” I smiled.

“Oh by the way, did you get a summons as well?” He asked.

“From Lord Gorudo's Page? Yes.” Lord Camus looked troubled.

“What do you suppose it's about?” He shifted. The uncertainty clearly made him uncomfortable. I paused turning it over in my mind.

“I can't say that I'm sure exactly. I've never heard of trainees being summoned by Lord Gorudo himself before. At least not right after the entrance duel. I imagine it may have something to do with the length of time of the match.”

“Do you think we'll be disqualified?” His voice was quieter now.

“I'm not sure. It is a possibility I suppose.”

“...Oh.” Lord Camus' expression flickered, a small crease formed between his brow.

“It's likely nothing so serious. The bouts aren't timed to my knowledge.” I had no way of knowing the severity of the situation, but I found myself trying to be optimistic for him. “I'm sure it happens more frequently than we know. Commoners just wouldn't hear about it. They usually don't hear about much that goes on beyond the doors of the castle.”

“I'm sure you're right. There's nothing to be worried about.” His face eased back to his neutral calm expression. He finished rinsing himself off, turning off his shower. “I'll see you at the Commander's Hall then?” He flashed a brilliant smile in my direction.

“Yes, of course.” I couldn't help returning his smile.

“Good.” He gave me a sharp nod and left.

I finished showering and dried myself off, picking up my clean uniform and dressed myself to meet my fate in front of Lord Gorudo.

I made my way through the cool wide halls of Rockaxe castle. I found the large double doors in front of the Commander's Hall where the young Page from earlier greeted me with a bow.

“Lord Miklotov, thank you for coming.” A formality of course as my attendance wasn't so much a request as a politely worded demand. “Please wait in the foyer and I will fetch you when Lord Gorudo is ready to speak to you.” He gestured toward the doors of a small antechamber to the right of the entrance.

“Yes, of course.” I mumbled. It was customary for one to wait on a dignitary when you had been called upon, but it didn't make the whole situation any less aggravating. I pulled opened the door to find Lord Camus already sitting in an uncomfortable looking wooden chair across the room, one leg crossed over his lap, humming a strange tune. He looked up when I entered the room and greeted me with that same brilliant smile, once again.

“Lord Miklotov, a pleasure meeting you here.” He joked.

“Of course.” I fumbled for a witty rebuttal, but none came. He laughed lightly. “How long have you been waiting?” I sought to keep a conversation going. Anything to cut the looming tension of the meeting with Lord Gorudo out of my mind.

“I only arrived a few minutes before you.” He was tapping out a rhythm on his knee with his fingers.

“I see, I wond-” I was cut off by the Page as he opened the door.

“Lords Camus and Miklotov, Lord Gorudo is ready to see you.” He waited on us both to stand. “Please, follow me.” He guided us into the Commander's Hall then promptly left to attend to other matters.

The whole room seemed to be carved out of marble, with great stone pillars on either side. A scarlet runner with fine golden embroidery ran from the entrance of the room to back behind the large throne, on which The Commander of the Knights was seated. Gorudo was an imposing looking man with long white hair and a beard to match. He had dark beady eyes perched upon a face of pinched features and a constant proud smile showing off the charisma that won him his position. His broad stature made him appear shorter than he actually was. He was flanked on either side by his two captains. Before today I had only ever caught a glimpse of the captains during the rare parades I remembered from my childhood. Even during the duel they were hard to see in the shade of the upper balcony in the arena. To Lord Gorudo's right stood Captain Dreux. Lord Dreux was leader of the Red Knights. A man of advanced age who wore a permanently stone cold expression. He had been in service to the Knightdom longer than any other man still living and had seen countless battles in his time. It was said that he was offered the position of Commander of The White Knights but turned it down due to his confidence in the then young Lord Gorudo. Despite his obvious age he still retained a sharp mind and a sharper sword. To Gorudo's left was a tall thin man whose presence stood in stark contrast to Lord Dreux. Perhaps only a decade older than Lord Gorudo himself. Lord Restault always seemed a kinder counterpart to Lord Dreux. Fine wrinkles formed at the corners of his eyes signifying a long life filled with laughter. He was even known for his wit and legendary sense of humor. He had a dark, neatly trimmed beard that sharpened his kind features to a point.

“Lords Camus and Miklotov, my liege.” The same White Knight that had announced for the duel stood just below the pulpit that the throne sat on and introduced us. Lord Camus and I both bowed low in front of the Commander.

“Lord Camus, Lord Miklotov.” Lord Gorudo's voice was dark. The cold stone walls allowed it to echo throughout the hall. “You are, no doubt wondering why I called you here.” A statement, not meant for a reply. “Never in the history of the Knightdom of Matilda has a duel gone on for so long.” I sensed Lord Camus tense up beside me. “You both show impressive stamina, and your skills, if properly trained could prove to be the best the Knightdom has seen in ages. Not to mention, it was easily the most entertaining duel we've witnessed in recent history.” A pleased smirk spread across Lord Gorudo's round face. “Now, as you know the duels are held in order to decide on which of the trainees have the potential to enter the Knights, only one contender is allowed to advance. Captains Dreux, Restault, and myself have carefully considered both your skill levels. After some deliberation we have decided, in light of the unusual circumstances, that it would be a tremendous error not to extend the offer to both of you.” My eyes grew wide and my heart skipped a beat. I sensed Lord Camus' relief beside me as well. “So, Lord Miklotov," The entire room's eyes turned to me. "Would you be willing to dedicate your life to serving the Knightdom of Matilda and her people?”

“Yes, my Lord.” I bowed so low I nearly swept my short hair across the floor.

“And you, Lord Camus, would you be willing to dedicate you life to serving the Knightdom of Matilda and her people?”

“Yes, my Lord.” Standing this close to him I could hear the desperate sigh of relief as he leaned forward.

“Excellent. In a week's time we will hold the induction ceremony to accept you both as Knights of Matilda. Page Clant will see to it that you receive your proper uniforms and official letters of induction. I am eager to see the growth of your skills.” His voice boomed with pride. Lord Restault nodded in agreement while Lord Dreux's eyes wandered between Lord Camus and myself.

“Lords Camus and Miklotov, you are dismissed.” The White Knight bowed to us. We both nodded in understanding and took our leave.

As soon as the doors to the hall closed behind us, Lord Camus heaved a heavy sigh, placing a hand over his heart and laughed out loud. A laugh of genuine relief, a laugh that could lift the spirits of those around him, I myself couldn't help but crack a wide grin as well.

“Oh gosh, if that wasn't the most nerve racking moment of my life!” He looked up at me, a hopeful sparkle in his eyes. “We should celebrate. What do you say?” Normally I would turn down such an offer, but I was too overjoyed to say no.

“I would be glad to.” He clapped me on the shoulder and we left the cold stone halls of the castle and headed into town.

It was dark out by now, and the cobblestone streets were lit only by the lamps that lined the pathway on either side. The town's shops would be closed by now, but most still had lights on inside. Presumably families inside were having dinner and spending time together before calling it a night. But we were headed to the tavern in the Inn. We strolled through the dimly lit town recalling all our previous worries and reflected on how ridiculous they seemed in hindsight. When we finally got to the Inn, we found seats at a small table tucked away in a corner. We ordered drinks. Tea for me as I didn't want to have a foggy head in the morning, and he decided on a pint of mead. I got to know about his family: An older brother, and his mother and father, all still living in Camaro. He also recalled a childhood friend, and her father who regarded him as a son from a nearby village. I told him of my own family. How I was an only child. About how my mother had passed away only a few years prior due to illness, my father followed her not six months later. He expressed sympathy for my loss, I thanked him, explaining that it was appreciated but not necessary. I had a good childhood and only happy memories of them. I recounted their desired for me to have a proper gentlemanly upbringing. They had sent me to countless etiquette courses and I even spent a semester at Greenhill Academy studying a variety of different subjects. I never obtained any sort of mastery in anything though. I learned that he, too had attended Greenhill for a short time. Had I gone a semester earlier, or he a semester later we would've met earlier. He told me all about growing up in Camaro. A subject which I found to be of particular interest.

“I always wanted to join The Free Knights. As a young boy in Camaro you always see them helping others around town. They're all incredible men. Each one dedicated to upholding justice and peace. Some of them go off to aid other Grassland villages and towns when they called for it.” He sighed dreamily, the mead no doubt hitting his bloodstream a little by now.

“So why not join The Free Knights then? Why travel all the way to Rockaxe just to join the Matilda Knights?”I felt immediate regret at the coldness of my question. He chewed at his bottom lip before answering.

“I would've, but because of my older brother, I could never attain knighthood. I could only ever rise as high as Squire...”

“Do you resent your brother for something like that?” I asked, realizing that I was perhaps prying a little too deeply for someone he had only just met that day. He kept looking straight ahead, a fine line etched between his brow.

“No, I could never feel resentment towards my brother. He's a good man. He wanted to be a knight just as much as I did. He just had the good fortune to be born first.” He laughed, sounding a bit defeated. “But!” He sat bolt upright, startling me in the process. “None of that matters anymore. I'm a Matilda Knight now!" He beamed. "I still can't believe it, really."

“It does seem quite surreal. I spent my whole childhood watching these men, wishing I could be a knight like them one day. Perhaps not so different than yourself watching the knights of Camaro. I spent day and night in my back yard brandishing a stick around like my first sword. Play fighting other boys. My parents noticed my budding obsession and for my seventh birthday they gifted me with my own wooden sword. I took that thing everywhere. I would fight imaginary dragons at the trading post while my father bartered with the shop keeper. Or wicked kings at the market as my mother bought food to prepare for dinner.” Camus was watching me, head resting on his hand with a soft smile. “I-um. I apologize.”

“Please don't. You have no need to apologize.” He pushed himself up. “It's like we're living a dream, huh?” We both laughed.

“I guess so.” I paused to finish off my tea. “So, which knights do you think we'll be in?”

“Which knights?” He perked up. “The Matilda Knights, I should hope.” He laughed at his own joke. I felt my cheeks flush.

“No, I mean there's The White Knights, which are Lord Gorudo's own knights, and then the Red Knights, which are headed by Lord Dreux, and the Blue Knights lead by Lord Restault.”

“Of course that's right." He nodded slowly pursing his lips, feigning careful consideration. "I can't say it matters much either way to be honest. I just hope we're both under the same colors.”

“That would be my wish as well.”I agreed. He looked down at his hands folded on the table in front of himself and smiled.

He finished his drink, and we sat and talked more about nothing in particular until the tavern maid closed up and politely asked us to leave. We stepped outside, the air had grown cold. We stood under the golden glow of the street lamp.

“I suppose we've been out long enough.” He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back away from his face.

“I suppose we have.” I shifted starting to get cold.

“I'll have a letter to compose to send to Camaro. Perhaps after a night's rest though.”

“Yes, it is quite late.”

“It certainly is. I apologize for keeping you so long."

"No, it was my pleasure. I quite enjoyed the conversation, Lord Camus." I assured him.

“Please, just Camus is fine.” He said.

“If that's what you prefer. You can just call me Miklotov then.” He started to laugh, but it turned into a yawn.

“Alright then. Goodnight Miklotov.”

“Goodnight Camus.” We parted ways, and I headed for my home. It wasn't long after I set foot in the door that I went straight to my room, undressed and fell right to sleep.

The next morning I woke early to visit my parents' memorial. I left flowers and spent the morning there, telling them the good news, as well as how I had met a new friend. I imagined them both overjoyed at the news. Telling me how they were proud of me. They had always wanted to see me become a knight.

The week until the knighting ceremony was the slowest seven days of my life. Three days had passed when a different Page boy, dressed in the uniform of the White Knights, and bearing the Matilda crest stood at my door. He had an expertly wrapped white parcel tied with a thin silver cord. There was a wax seal bearing the crest of The Commander of the White Knights of Matilda. Tucked under the cord was a letter with the same seal. It would be my uniform, crest, and letter of induction. I thanked the Page and sent him off with a handful of potch. I set the package on the kitchen table. With great care, I slipped the letter out from under the cord. I found a kitchen knife and slid it delicately under the wax seal inching it along so as not to break the wax. After finally prying it apart I unfolded it and laid it on the table to read.

 

“Lord Miklotov of Rockaxe. It is with great pride that Lord Gorudo, Commander of The White Knights of Matilda, graciously extends to you the prestigious offer to join The Matilda Knights. You are to attend the Knighting ceremony at Rockaxe Castle in four day's time. You may bring up to three family members to attend the audience.”

 

I bit my lip. It would've been the only time civilians would be allowed to enter Rockaxe castle. I continued reading.

 

“Enclosed is a personal letter from Lord Restault, Captain of The Blue Knights. One (1) Blue Knight's uniform, one (1) Crest pin of the Matilda Knights, one (1) Pair of boots, as well as a scroll containing the Knight's Oath of Matilda. Please review The Oath and arrive at Rockaxe Castle's courtyard promptly at dawn in full uniform.”

 

I opened the package and laid out my Blue Knight's uniform across the kitchen table. Proudly, I placed the crest on the lapel where it would sit when I wore it, and set the boots on the floor. I would iron everything in the morning. I took the letter from Lord Restault as well as the scroll to my room. The letter was handwritten with sharp, concise lettering. It repeated similar sentiments of the main letter, congratulating me on my acceptance and expecting great things from me as a Blue Knight of Matilda. On the bottom was Lord Restault's neat signature.

The oath was something I would have to review and learn. I would be required to repeat it in front of Lord Gorudo, as well as Lords Restault and Dreux, the other knights, and anyone else who would be in attendance. The thought of it set my nerves on edge.

I spent the rest of the week memorizing the oath down to the punctuation. Kneeling in my room as I would in front of Lord Gorudo when I would proclaim my allegiance to the Matilda Knights in front of everyone. My mind wandered to Camus, wondering if he was practicing his oath at the same time. I wondered if he was just as nervous as I was? Probably not. He was far more charismatic than I. He would breeze through the whole ceremony with that pleasant smile and grace. I wondered if he had written to his family, and if he had heard back from them. Were they excited to hear from him? Would they be in attendance during the Knighting ceremony? Rockaxe was a long trip from The Grasslands. I wished I had known where he was staying so I could ask him, or at the very least, share the excitement and anxiety.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys,
> 
> I just wanted to thank everyone who took the time to read this and leave kudos and/or comments. It may be slow going at first, but as I get more comfortable writing these characters and ease back into writing in general I hope to get chapters out faster. New tags will spring up as chapters progress (also as I explore and learn more about tagging on AO3 since I haven't published any work online before). This is a learning experience for me, so I hope that you'll bear with me and I'll do my best to improve and hopefully entertain to some degree. Also, hope you enjoy the new title! I was really unhappy with the previous title, and I hope this one sticks a little better.
> 
> <3 Zyl


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